Social Justice: An Early Start

Posted: 05/12/2014

By Laura Janota

In the chosen topic for upper-grade
students participating in
Village Leadership Academy’s
(VLA) annual social justice-based
Grassroots Campaign seemed
straightforward enough. However,
as 15 fifth graders in the homeroom
of VLA literacy instructor
Eric Macias began discussing
violence and its impact as a
prelude to developing a social justice
project, Macias gradually
grew speechless.

The instructor had expected
students to tackle gang or gun
violence. But when a student
raised her hand and said “To be
honest, I’m kind of tired of talking
about only gun violence,” the door
was opened for a few surprises.
One student suggested violence includes
bullying. Another discussed
violence by police. However, when
a third child raised her hand and
began talking about domestic
violence, other students joined in
and a social justice project for the
2012-13 academic year was born.

“It was a moving moment for
me to hear my students talking
about how domestic violence was
affecting them and the people
they know – and I realized, even
though it could be a difficult topic,
that we had chosen the right
focus for our campaign,” said
Macias, who teaches in the not-for-profit,
independent school where
Roosevelt University alumna
Nakisha Hobbs is principal.
After the first meeting, students
in Macias’ homeroom reached
out to a Chicago domestic
violence agency to learn what
they could do to help. As a result,
they have started a collection
drive for baby supplies, including
diapers, pacifiers and bottles,
that they were told domestic
violence survivors often need but
aren’t easy to come by in shelters
where they live. The collection
being taken this spring at VLA is
expected to reach the school’s
students and staff as well as
many homeowners in VLA’s
River City complex in Chicago’s
South Loop.

To counter much negative publicity
by media about domestic violence,
part two of the campaign will be
for students this spring to write
stories for VLA’s e-magazine about
positive ways in which their communities
and not-for-profits are
tackling domestic violence issues.

“I think it’s really helpful, especially
to write positive stories, that
can help those who need help,”
said a nine-year-old girl who has
been working on the campaign.
“I’ve learned that it’s good to help
others and to make sure that
others are okay,” she said.
For his part, Macias is glad that
he was speechless that day when
the topic of domestic violence
– and the many personal stories
that emanated from its mention –
came up in his homeroom class.

“I’ve got a lot of friends working
in charters, private schools and
public schools and I can tell
you that none of them are
doing something like this,” the
instructor said. “It’s definitely
one of the things that makes
VLA unique.”